Négation restrictive suivie du subjon

This pattern relies on the phrase il n'y a que. On its own, ne... que just means "only." But when you start a sentence with il n'y a que, you are setting the stage for the subjunctive mood. The subjunctive is that moody part of French grammar used for feelings, doubts, and uniqueness. When you say "There is only you who understands me," the French brain thinks: "This is so rare and special that the normal rules don't apply!" So, we switch from the regular indicative to the subjunctive. It bridges the gap between a simple fact and a strong statement about uniqueness.

1. 1Start with the magic phrase: Il n'y a que (There is only).
2. 2Add your noun or pronoun: toi, ce livre, ma mère.
3. 3Add the connector: qui (if it is the subject) or que (if it is the object).
4. 4Finish with the verb in the subjunctive: puisses, soit, sache.
5. 5Example: Il n'y a que toi + qui + sache + la vérité (There is only you who knows the truth). It is like building a sandwich where the bread is the restriction and the filling is the subjunctive energy.

You will want this tool in your belt for high-stakes moments. Use it in a job interview to say Il n'y a que moi qui puisse faire ce travail (There is only me who can do this job). It makes you sound confident and precise. Use it when ordering food if you have a strict diet: Il n'y a que ce plat qui ne contienne pas de noix (There is only this dish that doesn't contain nuts). It is also great for directions: Il n'y a que cette rue qui mène à la gare (There is only this street that leads to the station). Basically, use it whenever you need to draw a hard line around one single option. It is the "one and only" rule of French.

Don't use the subjunctive if you are just using a simple ne... que without the Il n'y a part. For example, Je ne mange que des pommes (I only eat apples) stays in the normal indicative. Also, if you are stating a boring, 100% objective fact without any "spotlight" effect, the subjunctive might feel a bit too dramatic. It is like wearing a tuxedo to a grocery store—technically possible, but maybe a bit much for buying milk. Keep the subjunctive for when the "only-ness" actually matters to the conversation.

The biggest trap is forgetting to switch to the subjunctive. Most learners default to the indicative because it is easier. You might say Il n'y a que lui qui sait instead of the correct Il n'y a que lui qui sache. Yes, even native speakers mess this up sometimes in casual texts, but in a test or a formal setting, it will stand out. Another mistake is mixing up qui and que. Remember: qui is followed by the verb, and que is followed by another person or thing doing an action. Finally, don't over-negate! You already have ne... que, so don't try to add pas in there. It is a restrictive negation, not a total one.

You might compare this to using seulement (only). Il y a seulement toi qui sais sounds a bit flatter and more literal. It is like a spreadsheet. But Il n'y a que toi qui saches sounds like a movie line. There is also the superlative pattern, like C'est le seul qui.... These follow the same logic. If something is "the only one," "the best," or "the last," the French language treats it as a special case that needs the subjunctive. Think of it like a grammar traffic light: when you see "only," the light turns yellow, and you should prepare to use the subjunctive.